Lobbyists Maria Garcia Berry and Steve Durham, who first met in 1975 at the state Capitol, are among the Republicans who support civil unions. Berry hosted a new GOP group, Coloradans for Freedom, at her Denver home tonight.

Young and old, gay and straight, the high-powered and the humble gathered to cheer what they see as a growing national acceptance of gay couples. Even a few Democrats dropped in to offer their support to the GOP group Coloradans for Freedom.

Witwer, a Genesee Republican, acknowledged the differences of opinion within his own party on gay rights.

“We come to our beliefs on this issue from a conservative perspective as well, and that is a respect for liberty and a respect for freedom,” he said.

Witwer noted that the former vice president said “people ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want,” adding Cheney is “hardly a soft Republican or a ‘squish.'”

Marti Whitmore and Shirley Seitz, two Jefferson County residents who were delegates to the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities in 2008, were among those supporting civil unions at an event tonight in Denver.

Witwer also thanked Kristin Strohm and Laura Leprino of The Starboard Group for their work in putting together Coloradans for Freedom.

Businessman Lee Kunz of Jefferson County, attorney Jim Hackstaff and lobbyist Lacee Artist were among those who attended the event at the home of lobbyist Maria Garcia Berry.

“Damn straight,” said Marti Whitmore, the GOP nominee for Colorado attorney general in 2002. “It’s about time.”

All marriages in the United States should follow a civil union template for legal purposes. Then, If people want to tag a religious or personal ceremony on to that would be their right/rite.
All unions should be contractual with the same options for all and all legal laws should reflect those choices.
WE also should allow those unions to include an opt-out clause and stipulate the options available to opt-out. It would clean up the over-priced divorce business we see today. It would mean lower costs and legal entanglements for separation and not divorce but contract annulment or opt out with all financial issues in a pre-union agreement. Children are more complex issues.There is where the really good attorney earns his/her fee.

Njcronk

Beautifully said, Barkingdog48. I agree completely that the law should recognize civil unions between all couples, and let the churches, synagogues or temples define marriage any way they wish.

As for marriages having an easy-in, easy-out clause, I don’t necessarily agree. I’ve seen a lot of men want to bolt from a marriage after their wife becomes ill, or parenting teens becomes too difficult. Sometimes, it is a good thing to make it NOT easy. Giving one’s word to taking care of one’s partner through thick and thin, and the children they bring into the world, should mean something.

Max

This story reflects the deep discord within the GOP. I don’t know how a party achieves unity with a segment promoting an extreme anti-civil union social agenda and the tolerant positions staked out by these folks. I guess they’re not on the same distribution lists. As one of the party’s founders said,
“A house divided against itself cannot stand”

Chris

This isn’t discord. A handful for wealthy Denver moderate Republicans support upending the traditional family. But the vast majority of us don’t. Our consistent opposition in the legislature to civil unions is indeed a sign of unity.

Anonymous

Traditional family is myth. There has never ever been “one” traditional definition of a family in the history of man kind dating back 3.5 million years.

Anonymous

Chris, do you live with your grand parents, your parents, and your children and grandchildren? Because that is what “traditional family” means. Multiple generations living together just like in the old days. Somehow 50 years ago when Social Security freed children to leave the traditional family and shift to the nuclear family model, Republicans completely forgot what the term “traditional family” means.

But they certainly weren’t going to let a perfectly good slogan dating back to the 1800’s go to waste. So now it’s been re-purposed to bash everything from gays to public schools.

Your empty sloganeering means nothing. If your family bonds are so weak that they cannot sustain a gay couple living together married in your same community, your family deserves to be “upended” as you say. Focus on your own damn family, and stop using to powers of the gov’t to force yourself into the bedrooms of other loving families who happen to be the same gender.

Njcronk

Pigs have flown. LOVE IT.

Chris

There’s nothing especially “conservative” about the systematic deconstruction of the American family. Libertarian, perhaps. But these folks really ought to stop calling themselves conservative.

Anonymous

Stop worrying about denying Gay and Lesbian American’s their Constitutional right to Marriage and focus on Heterosexuals and their 50% divorce rate.

Anonymous

Marriage segregation is still segregation. Separate is never Equal and the SCOTUS will find it unconstitutional.

Richardddecker

If that happens I will either hsve to quit being a Chriistian or a Republican. Which do you think I will choose?

Anonymous

Or you could choose to quit being ignorant a bigoted. But being ignorant and bigoted, that choice would be a catch-22 for you.

There are plenty of Christians who believe in both Gay Marriage and Jesus. Just like there are Republicans who believe in both Gay Marriage and limited government. You know, limited government like not having the government thrust themselves into every couple’s bedrooms to decide which couples that love each other should be allowed to marry or join civil unions just because of what is between their legs.

Mike

Too be sure, Republicans deserve the slapping they have taken over the anti-freedom, party line vote that killed civil unions in the 2011 legislature. It was an act of political cowardice. But let’s not fool ourselves here. If Democrats really wanted civil unions, we would already have them in Colorado. In 2010, Democrats controlled both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office. The civil union bill’s sponsors, Rep. Ferrandino and Senator Steadman, were both in the legislature in 2010, and could have introduced the bill then. It would have, without question, passed through the legislature. Problem is, there was a Democrat governor who at that time had not yet decided not to seek a second term. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Dems didn’t introduce civil unions in 2010 because they wanted to protect a Dem governor from having to sign such a contentious bill in an election year. In other words, gays and lesbians essentially remain second class citizens in Colorado because of Democrat party politics. An act of political cowardice. Question is, which act of cowardice is more cynical?

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.